Gautama was born as Siddhartha in the
Kshatria caste of
the Shakya clan in 566 B.C. (disputed, see reference) in Kalpataru (now Lumbini
in present day Nepal). Popular legends represent him as the son of a
great king, brought up amidst the luxuries of a palace. As he grew
into manhood, Siddhartha was caught by the sufferings of the world (old
age, disease and death being important of them), left his riches to become
an ascetic and sought higher truth. After years of study, meditation and
sacrifice, he is known to have found the Nirvana (cure to ills of the
world) and became the Buddha or the completely enlightened.

Gautama Buddha adopted the life of a religious teacher
from the age of thirty-five till his death at the age of eighty (c. 486
B.C.). He was a great teacher and had a tremendous following in the
provinces of Magadha, Kosala and all the neighboring territories. He
defined four noble truths (Arya Satyani):

The world is full of suffering

The desire is the root cause of worldly existence

Conquering desire and attachments are the only way to happiness

Conquering of desire must be done in the right way.

Buddha explained in detail, the chain of causes which lead to suffering
and the means of deliverance from these sufferings. He said that the man
is the arbiter of his own destiny, not the gods. He condemned the efficacy
of Vedic rites and rituals and challenged the superiority of the Brahmins.

Buddhism, went on to become a very popular religion in the subsequent
centuries and even went abroad. Today (2000), in its various derivatives,
it is practiced by more people outside of India than within. Buddha's
birthday (Buddha Jayanti) is observed in India as a national
holiday.